the revolution that wasn't
by the kid that could
Summary: For a friend- AMONAE. That is all. Featuring: Our friends.
1. Chapter 1

**A Different Path**

_Somehow, the girl had gotten the eerie feeling that Amon had planned this the entire time. She sat across the table from the masked man, simply staring at him in shock and awe. Her feelings were a mish-mash of curiosity, fear, and confusion. It would be too much sooner or later. _

"_What are you?" the girl managed to say eventually, her chin resting in her hand on the table._

_Amon's grim, lifeless stare kept on, and he was silent, just as she was. _

**-lololol-**

_ The match was intense, and everyone knew it. It was intense as fire was hot, the crowd's cheers blaring from all sides to such a degree that it filled her to the brim with excitement and a certain kind of pride that was unbreakable, and it was fueled not only by the crowd, but by her teammates as well. Her teammates didn't matter, though. This was about her. _

_ 'Her' was a shorter Asian girl named Janae. Her complexion was that of a girl who spent most of her time outside, but it was quite the opposite. She worked in a noodlery on the other side of town, so she was indoors most of the time. It was great to work there, especially when the really nice old people came in and left really big ti – _

_Janae was knocked back into reality when the bushy browed earthbender on the other team had a disk slamming into her side, and she was forced back a few feet. Not enough to make a huge difference, though. _

_A knowing glance was exchanged between the water bender on her team, Cody, and a hefty spurt of water was spiraling into the air. The spurt distracted the opponent earthbender and Janae forced a blast of fire at her target. One of their best moves had knocked the Fire Ferrets' earthbender off the probending plateau. One down, two to go. _

_The earthbender on Janae's own team was doing his own hand in the fight, and had picked the distracted firebender off the field within a matter of seconds, with the help of three disks, of course. Janae watched him roll off the plateau solemnly, and focused again in time to see a jet of water rushing towards her. She side-stepped, dodging it, flipping, and dodging another jet in the process. The Asian bounced on her heels as her teammates landed hits on the enemy waterbender, pushing the girl back until she was barely on the edge. The Blue Falcons' were given an advantage with this, and they took two-thirds of the plateau. A running start gave Janae enough power to finish off the last of the Fire Ferrets, along with their winning streak. _

_Their victory was announced promptly, and the Blue Falcons were back in their team room, taking off their equipment. _

"_Good game, guys," Janae said loudly, struggling to take off the headgear, trying not to make her sweaty, smelly hair look worse than it probably did. _

"_Did you see the look on that idiot's face when I hit him right in the stomach?" Chris asked nonchalantly, shoving a glove down his bag. _

"_No," Cody mumbled, sitting and sighing out of exhaustion. _

"_Good, cause I didn't either. Well, guys, I'm gonna head home, gotta pick up some shit, y'know?" Janae nodded, slinging her equipment filled bag over her shoulder. _

"_What?" Cody inquired, curious. It wasn't everyday that Janae would just casually pick up some shit. _

"_Just some things for Katey, she's been pretty down lately." _

"_Yeah, you pick up that shit," Chris snickered, earning a shove from Janae. _

"_Shut the fuck up!" Janae laughed, rolling her eyes. _

**-IoIoIoI-**

_Republic City was never a good place to walk around at night. Ever. The ghetto was crawling with Triple Threat Triad members, but it wasn't like Janae was stupid enough to actually go into the shadows. Oh, hell no. She walked near the street lights, like a normal person. With her probending bag on her shoulder, and a small paper bag in her left hand, she walked on, glancing around every so often. She put an index finger up, creating a small floating flame to use as additional, comforting light._

_Everything changed in the quiet moment she felt a stabbing, electrical pain run through her body. _

**-lololol-**

_They sat at the table still, Amon still staring at her. Janae, for some reason, wasn't remotely close to being uncomfortable. _

"_What am I?" Amon repeated, slightly shocked for a reason he couldn't pinpoint exactly. The gall this little girl had just to ask him that… "What are you?" He asked in a daring tone, turning the conversation around. _

_Janae leaned back in her chair, smirking, staring down at the table before her eyes flickered up to meet with Amon's dim ones. It wouldn't derail her, though. Never. _

"_I'm a lover, not a fighter," she answered. _

"_Is that so?" _

_Janae nodded, her hard smirk softening into a gentle smile, "Yep." _

"_You're a bender, though." _

"_That is… completely accurate – "_

"_You're impure," Amon got across, tilting his head just a dab. _

_The little two-word sentence caught Janae by surprise and she tilted her as well, blinking once, "I wouldn't say that, really." _

_Amon fell silent, casting a glance towards the pile of her things in the corner. She was right, he supposed, debating whether he should still take her bending away or not. Perhaps a few more questions would help make up his mind. _

"_Who were the cookies for?" Amon asked suddenly._

_Janae shrugged, "My roommate." _

_Amon raised an eyebrow, prompting her to tell more. _

_Janae sighed, "Her name is Katey. She's uh – She's a nonbender."_

_Amon let a quiet sigh leave his lips, "I'll spare you." The sentence seemingly cut through the awkward silence like a machete, creating confusion and some tension. _

"_Wait, what – " Janae leaned forward, her brows furrowing as she felt strong, large hands wrap around her slender arms and she was lifted from her seat before another striking pain coursed through her body, and she was out like a light again. _

**-lololol-**

Janae sat up in a cold sweat, propping herself up on her elbows. She had fallen asleep on the pathetic blanket pallet in the apartment, and Katey noticed her whispering and trembling in her sleep.

"Janae!" Katey whispered, standing over the other, using her foot to shake the other a little. "Janae, wake up!"

"What – What the fuck?" Janae slurred, looking up at her through hazy eyes.

"You were starting to freak me out, so I woke you up, asshole…"

Janae got up, running a hand through her dark locks and got up, walking around the one room apartment above the noodlery. Sunlight poured in through the windows. Morning… "Katey? We – I – have a probending match tonight, yeah?"

Katey nodded, "Yeah, against the Fire Ferrets. Actually, Cody and Chris wanted to come over later, if that was okay. You were still asleep when they called, so…"

Janae stood, glued to her spot, wide-eyed, thinking. Who was the man from her deam? Would the Blue Falcons win the match? Was she psychic?

Most of all, that man… who was he?

"Janae?" Katey said, attempting to get her attention and succeeding.

"I had the weirdest dream."


	2. Chapter 2

**Wide Awake**

In the chain of events, everything had been déjà vu for Janae. The same moves from the match, being hit in the side by the stupid earthbender on the Fire Ferrets, and taking out the last teammate left standing on the Fire Ferrets with that last fireball. Everything had gone just as her dream had, up until one moment in the teamroom. By now, she was partly convinced she was some type of psychic and was staring at Cody, trying to read the quiet boy's mind until he asked what she was doing, and Cody was answered with a semi-confused Janae claiming she was doing nothing and went on to take off the rest of her gear.

Chris suggested that they should all go out to eat, specifically at the noodlery. Janae was a bit skeptical, Cody agreeing that they should.

"Alright, then let's do it! Where's Katey - ?" Chris asked, looking around as if the girl was lurking behind him or something. She wasn't, but he just wanted to check. The nonbender had her ways.

His question was answered promptly when Katey shuffled in, closing the door behind her quietly. "Hey, guys? What's the plan?"

Janae stood, gathering her things as she did in her dream, but thought before she spoke quickly, "We're gonna go to Marr's for a victory dinner."

Marr's was the name of the noodlery, and the name of the nice woman that owned the place. Marr was an earthbender, very kind, generous. She was also the woman that let Janae and Katey live upstairs, letting them rent it out for practically free, since the noodlery made so much money itself. Marr's was the prime place for benders to hang out. Not that nonbenders weren't allowed, they were, but it just happened like that.

Katey pumped her fist, knowing that the dinner would probably be on the house since the team had won. Not only that, but as a nonbender, it was a comforting atmosphere to be around.

…

After everyone had finished changing into normal clothing, they had made their way to the noodlery, Janae feeling somewhat on the edge after her dream. It wasn't like they were in the ghetto or anything, but Janae couldn't shake off the feeling that someone had been watching.

In the midst of everyone taking at the table in the front of Marr's, Janae was barely listening. The dream was haunting her. The masked face of the unnamed man kept showing himself in her mind, and she couldn't stop thinking about the non-existent encounter. She had told Katey about her dream, of course, but she hadn't taken it as seriously as she should have. Sure, Katey thought it was a weird dream too, but told Janae that she was just stressing out because of the match with the Fire Ferrets later that day.

"So, you're telling me that you can fit a gun in between your butt cheeks if you wanted to?" Chris asked, trying not to laugh.

"Okay, listen to me. If you cut a hole in your back pocket, and stick it in there, how are you not gonna be able to?" Katey answered, shrugging, and sipped her tea. Reaching behind her, she pulled out her wallet and waved it around, "If I put this in between my butt cheeks, you will not find it… until I want you to."

Chris lost in at this, laughing while Cody shook his head and held back a snicker or two. The quiet one noticed how unnervingly quiet Janae was, and out his own hand on hers. She snapped back to attention, looking up at Cody.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Why, what's up?"

Cody raised an eyebrow, and bit his lip for a split second. "You just haven't really cursed yet, so I figured something might be wrong with you, yanno?"

"Fuck you."

"There she is!"

A young man sauntered up to their table, along with his posse of biznitches and teammates. His hair flowed over his face partially, and his smirk was smug. Somehow, Cody got the feeling he would laugh sooner or later.

In a snarky tone, the dark-haired fellow spoke to them, "Good to see the Blue Falcons are finally getting their shit together, huh?"

The team was quiet, some tilting their heads in confusion. How did this guy know them? Who was he? "I'm Tahno – Wolfbat team captain, thank you very much. I know you're all appalled by how fabulous I am, so let's – " Tahno was cut off by Cody's laughter, which was louder than anyone had ever heard. Chris and Janae turned their heads at him in shock, while Katey started laughing as well.

"I'm not even sorry – " Cody managed to choke, trying desperately to calm himself down with a swig of tea. Tahno looked frustrated, his brows furrowed and his smirk dropped into a hard scowl.

There was a commotion on the other side of the room, and Janae turned her head. Some morons in stupid costumes were going about and…

"Um, guys – I think we have trouble," Janae told the others, and stood. Bad idea, the guys is funny costumes had noticed her get up and a few started coming over there.

Chris stood as well, smirking, "Don't worry, me and Cody got this end covered!" Janae nodded, and Katey stood, thinking of techniques she could use. It would be harder, since she wasn't a bender, anyways.

The party started on Cody's end when he tried to make burning hot tea hit an Equalist in the face, and it did, but Cody was soon bombarded with a barrage of punches to his side by another one. Chris helped out by sending a chunk of rock into the enemy's side and sending him into a glass window. Cody recovered soon, moving to try and bend, but realized he couldn't when absolutely nothing was happening – he tried again, his eyes going wide when he looked like an idiot just waving his hands around – "I can't bend! Chris, I can't – " Cody was done with when he put down with an electro-rod, and so was Chris while he was distracted by Cody.

Tahno and his biznitches had left just as the fight started, managing to escape through the backdoor, and pull a total douchecanoe move.

Janae and Katey were the only ones left, and at this point, Janae knew she probably didn't have a chance without her teammates. She had managed to evade the moves of a few Equalists, but in the end, while she was taking one out on her left, an Equalist had stuck her with an electro-rod, and she was down as well, just like in her dream.

**...**

Janae felt something warm and soft on her head, and blinked her eyes open, feeling like utter shit. Her eyes flickered around, and she took in her surroundings. She was in the apartment with Cody, and Chris, next to her… She raised a hand to her head, and the warm thing was actually a wet rag. She was laying on the pathetic pallet while Cody was on the couch, and Chris was next to her on the pallet. They all had rags on their heads, and it seemed surreal.

_Who did this? _Janae thought, wondering who put the rags on their heads, and wondering if the accident had anything to do with her dream…

She smelt something in the air, a good smell – roasted nuts and cooked meat, maybe with a dash of something citrusy… Was that from her kitchen?

Her question was answered when she caught of glimpse of familiar blonde hair in her kitchen, and she sat up. She felt even worse doing that, but she ignored the pain and watched as Mrs. Marr walked out of the kitchen, sighing. "Sweetie, you won't get any better if you don't rest."

"But… I was…What?"

Mrs. Marr's eyes flickered up above Janae's head, and Janae turned her head to look as well. It seemed Cody had woken up, and now he was rubbing his eyes, but Chris slept like a log.

Mrs. Marr focused on Janae again, and Cody looked around. "I'm making dinner for you guys," She had turned to leave, and started walking into the kitchen again, before turning around to say one last thing, "Also, you don't have to pay your rent this month." Mrs. Marr then went into the kitchen again.

"Janae," Cody mumbled, getting her attention.

"What…?"

"Katey's gone."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disparate Youth**

In the course of events, and with Katey missing, the first thing Cody and Janae decided to do was look around town. Specifically, to check where Katey normally worked. First, they had to wake up Chris. This involved a sock, a bucket of cold water, and unfortunately, a Satomobile muffler. Don't ask where Janae got it from, but it worked, and when Chris was awake, they set off to looking,

Now, they were standing in the middle of the parlor, each holding a separate cone with one scoop, idly licking at it awkwardly.

"Let's keep looking and eat at the same time."

"Yeah," Chris nodded, "We should do that."

Cody just bit off a chuck of his ice cream.

They had set to the streets, walking and walking, passing stores.

"Where would she be?" Chris asked, looking at Janae. She shrugged, and then snapped her fingers. "Oh! Well, she might be at Jereme's!"

Cody shook his head. "No, he would be working, too. She always goes to his house when he gets off patrol – after work."

"Oh."

Chris nudged Janae's shoulder, and nodded towards a bench on the other side of the street. "Janae, look, it's that guy – with the flippy hair and the biznitches. From last night, remember?"

"Let's ask him if he's seen her!"

Using a crosswalk, they walked over to Tahno's bench, trying to avoid the people walking on the sidewalk. Tahno sat, hunched over something, until they realized he was getting something out of his pocket – an unlit cigarette.

"Tahno," Janae said, getting his attention. He looked over the three of them with mean eyes, his eyes landing on Cody, or in his mind, _that douchecanoe who laughed at me in front of my biznitches last night_. Cody glared at him, holding his ice cream almost threateningly and gesturing from his eyes to Tahno with two fingers.

"Well, if it isn't the losers," Tahno finally said, and looked at Janae, "babe, light me up, will you?" He smirked. Janae did as well, lighting his cigarette and splashing some fire in his face with a flick of her wrist. Before Tahno could say anything about it, Janae changed the subject.

"We're looking for our friend – have you seen her anywhere?"

Tahno snickered, "_Friend_? There are more of you? At least tell me what she looks like."

He was answered with mixed responses from the three of them before Janae told them to shush and explained what Katey looked like, and what she could've been wearing.

"No, haven't seen her. Sorry, baby."

A snicker could be heard from Cody, and Tahno ignored it. That kid was really getting on his nerves.

"Well, who were those people from last night?" Chris asked, taking a small step forward.

"The Equalists?" Tahno asked in reply, and the three were silent, prompting him to explain.

"They're the people in Republic City who stand for equality between benders and nonbenders. They're lead by this guy… Amon. That's his name."

Janae sighed, and scratched her cheek, then licked her ice cream. "Yeah, well, thanks for your nonexistent help, Tahno. We'll see ya."

Tahno flicked his cigarette and stomped it out as the three walked away, but Cody had other thoughts. He looked back, and his eyes flickered to his ice cream. Suddenly, he turned around, sprinting in Tahno's direction and chucking his ice cream at the waterbender, "This isn't even my final form, fucker!" Cody screeched, running back to his group as Tahno angrily pawed at his curls to get the ice cream out.

…

"This is horrible." Janae yawned. It was late at night in Republic City – not a very good time to be wandering around. The moment reminded Janae vaguely of her dream, except for the fact that she wasn't lugging her probending equipment and a bag of cookies.

"I know, it's getting kind of scar – " Someone said before some jimmies were jostled, and they were being shoved into the back of a huge truck with blindfolds on.

Janae tried to keep track of how many steps she took, but she lost count at fifty-something. The three were lead somewhere, lined up, Janae could feel it. She heard footsteps in front of her, bustling people, and more hands pushing her away, along with more people.

When the blindfold finally came off, she was relieved, and looked around to see Cody and Chris in the same room – yet she didn't make sound, for the man of her dreams was a mere three feet away from her, and she was choked up. Yet somehow, she had the gall to say, "You stole my cookies…"

"What?" The masked man stops, turning his head towards her. Janae stops, feeling quite awkward as she thinks of how to explain her words to the man of her dreams.

"I – nothing. Cookies."

Amon glances at the man with the goggles and the particularly long moustache, and he shrugs. Amon moves on, pacing. This went on for a quick moment before he is interrupted by Chris breaking the horrifying silence.

"You took our friend," he says.

"And what do we have here? I assure you, you naïve, impure, little boy, that I've taken away many… friends."

Chris is quiet, glaring into the holes of Amon's mask where his eyes would be. Janae is genuinely scared for Chris ; so is Cody. Their eyes are wide as Chris challenges the masked man with eight words.

"But you took mine; and that's a problem."

Chris's original plan was to punch Amon so hard that his mask would crack, but he was stopped when Amon caught his fist and twisted it, and the Lieutenant had crept up, punching Chris in his sides with a certain pattern just as the Equalists had last night.

Amon twisted Chris's wrist so hard that he was forced to kneel, and he put his free hand on the ground, keeping himself up – the masked man placed his thumb on Chris's head, in between his eyes, and for a moment, he was gone. His eyes had glazed over, and he was free from impurity, but he was back the next moment, Amon letting his hand go and letting Chris fall over on the ground, just laying there. He felt pathetic.

"Tell the tale of your friend's demise, for he is now cleansed; now Lieutenant, get them out of here."


	4. Chapter 4

**This Is War**

Chris had been silent the whole time, from the moment Amon had taken his bending away, to the very moment right now. They figured they wouldn't go back, that they wouldn't go down without a fight. If anything, they should win, considering they were benders.

Janae occasionally glanced over at Chris, and at Cody, looking to see if those two were alright after the recent traumatizing events. She was sure they were checking on her, too. The three of them walked the barren streets, no idea what to do now, but yet – they had the very vague idea of fighting back.

"Guys," Janae whispered, pointing at a few bodies walking ahead of them by about twenty feet or so. The other two looked up, noticing them as well. They immediately recognized the three bodies in front of them as Equalists, considering one of them had the electro-rods on their back and the other two had weird gloves on.

"What do we do?" Chris asked quietly, the first words he had spoken since his gift was taken away.

"We go after them, uhduh," Janae answered, glancing at Cody, who nodded.

Cody exhaled, "I say we beat them up and take their stuff, like in a cliché jailbreak film."

"Sounds like a plan," Janae breathed, her steps becoming silent as she crept along quickly, getting closer and closer to her target. Cody did the same, Chris staying behind, figuring he could keep watch if he couldn't do anything else.

Janae reached forward, taking one of the Equalist's head in her hands, and wrapping an arm around his neck at the last second, before he could react. The Equalist never had a chance when Janae twisted his head to the side, knocking him out almost instantly. Cody had done the same, the other Equalist falling just as Janae's had.

The last Equalist saw the benders, and readied his glove, ready to stiff arm anyone who came near him. Cody ducked, dodging the Equalist's strike and kicked him back. That would save time, Cody figured. Janae grabbed the Equalist by his neck as he was pushed backward by Cody's kick and slammed him on the ground roughly.

Cody was next, a ball of water crashing down on the enemy's face, and wrapping around his body. The water held the body, and Cody simply threw him against a building with an extra push.

Now that all three of the Equalists were out, they could commence with their espionage.

**...**

Cody, Chris and Janae had all changed into the uniforms in an awkward silence, Chris willingly snagging both the glove and the electro-rods with no regrets.

"This is some cool shit," Chris had said, stretching his fingers in the glove he had taken.

Now, all they had left to do was follow more Equalists with the hopes that maybe people like them wouldn't beat the shit out of them thinking that they themselves were Equalists.

That wasn't the case, obviously.

They ended up following what seemed like a squadron of Equalists, getting lost, and finding a chi blocking class in an abandoned studio.

The three looked in the windows, and found just what they had been looking for.

"Oh my god," Janae gasped, spying the familiar blonde head of the girl she lived with.

"Is that – " Chris started, but was answered promptly.

"Yeah. What's the plan?" Cody nodded, focusing in on the people around Katey, the moves they were being taught.

Chi- blocking.

"Why don't we just go in and get her?" Chris suggested, sighing.

"Because that's a dumbass idea, and I'm choosing to ignore it." Janae shook her head, and looked around for the door, which she assumed was right around the corner.

…

In the end, the three did simply walk in, and the class fell silent, as did the three friends themselves. Katey didn't recognize them, though.

All of a sudden, it seemed that everyone had made the same move of charging after them, as if they knew that they weren't Equalists after all.

Cody made a different move – he raised both of his hands, and with a grunt, everyone had stopped moving. It seemed as though they were making pained noises – not that Cody could do anything to stop it.

"Get Katey, and let's go already – " Cody mumbled through clenched teeth.

Chris was off to do that, Janae staring at Cody in horror and wondering if she should be amazed or terrified.

"You can… You can bloodbend?"

Cody nodded, watching as Chris simply slung Katey over his shoulder and ran back towards them. He was about to pass out, but figured he should just keep going on, for now. He could rest when the time came.

"Why didn't you tell us! You could have done this exact same thing when Amon was in the middle of taking Chris's bending away!" Janae yelled at Cody, and Cody shrugged, realizing he could have done just that.

Janae threw off the goggles and mask of the uniform, along with Chris, who did it because it was getting harder to breathe.

Cody backed away, trying desperately to keep as many people as controlled as possible. Once Janae and Chris (and Katey) were out, he slammed the door closed, dropping everyone, and locked the door on the outside. He called Janae, telling her to set the door on fire, and she did, sprinting back to catch pu with Katey and Chris.

Katey, on the other hand (or shoulder), wasn't as happy. "What are you doing, traitors! Let me go! Right now! Chris, stop being an asshole and put me down!"

"Nope," Chris said in response.

She fell off his shoulder eventually, and glared at the three of them.

"Why?" Janae had whispered, stepping towards her roommate.

"Why what?" Katey had spat back at her, raising her fists, on the balls of her feet. "Why I was recruited to become an Equalist? It's simple, really – I'm always in the shadow of you three, and it's not fair! It's never fair! Nonbenders need to be treated equally, if not better than impure people like you! You don't deserve to wear that uniform!"

Janae was shocked, and glanced back at Chris and Cody, and they got the message. Turning, they both continued moving on, where – they didn't know themselves.

"The world needs to be rid of pretentious bender assholes just like you, Janae – can't you see? This is a worthy cause!"

Janae couldn't help but wonder if Katey had secretly hated her all this time – or if she had been brainwashed by Amon's ideals because of how much they had actually applied to her. "You don't know what you're talking about, Katey! This isn't how you think!"

"And how would you know?"

Janae was quiet, taking another step forward. She didn't want to do it, but she could feel anger boiling in the pit of her stomach, and she had to do something about it.

"Bring it." Katey challenged, a smirk donned her face.

"You bring it!" Janae screeched, sending a punch that Katey caught and threw to the side. Katey punched her in the gut, and Janae responded by slamming both of her hands on the sides of Katey's head, making the other scream a little. With Katey's eardrums ringing, she couldn't focus, and ended up getting a fireball to her side.

"Damn you, Janae!" Katey screeched, getting back up and sprinting to Janae. She dodged another fireball sent her way by ducking, and another one by sliding across. She got close enough to kick Janae back, and Janae had just enough time to put a blast of fire in Katey's face. Katey screamed once again, and Janae fell on her back, hearing a crack in the wrong places.

"Damn…" Janae mumbled, sitting up and seeing Katey sprawled on her back and a darkness to one side of her face. She was dead, as far as Janae could tell.

"How unfortunate." A voice chimed behind Janae, and she didn't answer. Instead, she merely opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"A worthless girl you thought was your… friend, turns out to be exactly the opposite. Yet, I only have one question for you," the masked man said to Janae, and by now, she had identified it as Amon.

"_What are you_?" Amon asked, watching as Janae turned around and stood, admiring the stains the tears had put on her face.

Janae was silent, eyes flickering to the side, letting her mouth drop slightly. "I… I don't know…"

Amon bent slightly, letting Janae admire his eyes at the moment. "I know what you can be."

Janae was silent.

"You can avenge your friend – take in my – her – our beliefs. Become an Equalist, Janae. Fight for the side that's right."


	5. Chapter 5

_**How To Save A Life**_

Janae nods, and glances back at Katey's body, and back to Amon – "Can you help her?"

Amon thinks it over.

"You have a decision between your friend… Or your impure gift. You have one moment."

Janae wasted no time, immediately answering with the first. Little did she realize that Amon was completely serious about the question. Little did she realize that Amon was also tricking her – for he knew that Katey was, in fact, not dead. Merely unconscious, for Janae had put a lot of fire in her face (and her whole body). Overwhelming was what it was. Amon walked over to her friend's body, sitting at an angle so Janae couldn't see what he was doing. He slapped the burned girl into a state of awareness. Katey's eyes shot open and she sat up, feeling things – wounds, burn wounds – open up. Somehow, she managed to stand up completely, and back away with a fazed look on her face, to the point of running away.

Janae and the man of her dreams were left to themselves.

"Kneel."

"What? You kneel."

"I said _kneel_, bender." Amon spat.

Janae did so, keeping her distance. She didn't want to give the other a different idea, after all.

The masked one leaned over, pressing a thumb in between her eyes, the rest of his hand splaying across her cheek.

She shook in her place, as he pressed his thumb harder – hot tears pricked her eyes, and suddenly, something stung all over. She gave a little shriek as she was revisited with memories of Chris getting his bending taken away. Amon seemed not to mind the noise, and pressed deeper.

He pulled away a moment later, Janae letting her arms drop (for she had subconsciously grabbed onto Amon's own arms) and the tears fall as she half- heartedly banged the ground below her with a fist.

She hadn't known of the consequences for saving a friend. She hadn't known of the ground she had hit on when she could feel herself slipping from her own grip.

…

She woke up on a cot, with a set of clothes next to her, and dim morning light pouring in. Slowly, she set a hand on the set of clothes sitting beside her, and realized it was a new uniform. _A brand new Equalist uniform_.

Janae pulled away from the uniform, and sprawled out among the cot, staring up at the ceiling.

_Is this what it feels like to be an Equalist? _

_Is that what it feels like to be a nobody?_

_Is this what it's like to be unmade?_

_Is this what it feels like to have your entire being stripped from you?_

_Where is he?_

By 'he' she meant Amon, the masked man, the literal man of her dreams, the one who haunted her.

The one who stripped her of who she was.

…

She is summoned by Amon to head to the chi-blocking class using only the back ways.

She rejects the offer for directions on how to get there because, unfortunately, she already knows.

Janae heads down there, expecting a shallow future.

Once she arrives, she is greeted by quiet and shadows.

"Hello?" the girl calls, looking around, trying to pierce through the shadows for something more.

"Hello to you, bender."

"Amon!" Janae addresses, trying the name out. It's interesting, she thinks, rolls of the tongue. She had heard it from a fellow Equalist.

"I recently took away your bending," Amon says, as if he was going to give it back in the first place, "yet, I never learned your name."

She is skeptical, narrowing her eyes, but steps closer, close enough to reach out and touch him. If she dared, of course. "I'm Janae," Amon's expression behind the mask is soft, but Janae wouldn't know that, "Janae Gamara. Former firebender. Pleasure to meet you, Amon. _A real pleasure_."

Amon scoffs behind his mask, and just stares at his new friend. Sassy.

"I am Amon. You may call me… Amon, of course. There is nothing else to call me." Amon lies, reaching out to set a heavy hand on Janae's shoulder. Her frame is fragile, small – unusual for a firebender.

Janae is quiet, and Amon puts a hand on her other shoulder. She sighs.

"What is troubling you, Gamara?"

"Everything."

"Elaborate."

Janae thinks, and lets her head hang, "What am I supposed to do from now on?"

Amon is still, until he leans down, eyes piercing Janae's – bringing his voice to a whisper, even though the 'classroom' was empty. "Listen to me, Gamara – I like – respect – you. I will only do this once. I am promoting you," he pauses, as if unsure, "to be my second lieutenant."

Janae is speechless, contemplating what this random promotion could possibly mean –

"That being said, Gamara, I have an assignment for you."

"…What…?"

Amon doesn't wait, and simply comes out with it, "Bring me your bloodbender friend."

Janae backs away, shocked, fearful – "Amon, sir – I can't do that! Why can't you do it?"

"Why must you question my orders, Gamara?"

"I – I… Yes, sir. I'll do it," Janae agrees to the order, figuring out why people obey him so easily.

It's because he's enchanting.


End file.
